9 Places You Never Knew Existed in Illinois' Quad Cities
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Laura
Author
When you think of destinations in Illinois, the Quad Cities area might not be on your radar. But it really should be. The quad cities actually refers to five cities (three of which are in Illinois, two of which are in Iowa). The three cities in Illinois are Rock Island, Moline, and East Moline. They may have been more popular cities back in the day, but they have a lot of hidden charm. If you venture out to the quad cities, you need to check out these 9 attractions.
This little park is located in Rock Island. There are a few observation points to see the Mississippi River. True to its name, it is a great place to see a sunset.
Everyone knows that John Deere is big in Illinois, particularly in its Moline headquarters. About 20 years ago, they opened a pavilion for the public to get the John Deere experience. Sit on tractors and watch videos about the evolution of farming equipment. Farmer or not, this is pretty cool stuff.
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One of the most charming things about river towns are their downtown areas. Head to downtown Rock Island. There are loads of delightful little shops, restaurants, and a theater.
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This is a super pretty botanical center. There are all sorts of tropical and exotic flowers. One of the coolest features is the 14 foot waterfall.
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Talk about an old school candy shop. This place has been in business for over 100 years. It is both a confectionary and ice cream parlor, making it doubly sweet. Yum!
One of the better water parks is right here in Rock Island. There are four water slides, a zero depth to nine foot pool, and spray features.
This Rock Island riverfront park has a stellar view. There is a waterfront promenade, open air stage, an interactive fountain, and playgrounds loaded with technology.
If you're not familiar with quad city pizza, yes, it is a thing. The crust has a nutty sort of flavor. Toppings are placed under the cheese. And the pizza is cut into strips. It's quite good. We recommend you eat at Fields of Pizza.
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A lot of places claim to have the best ice cream, but if you haven't been to Whitey's, you really can't make that claim. Wow. They have numerous flavors of ice cream and frozen yogurt, each one better than the last. They are famous for their shakes so thick that you can turn them upside down.
Looking for more cities on the river? Check out this list.
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